Means for mounting propeller-shafts.



A. GLEMENT. MEANS FOR MOUNTING PROPELLER SHAFTS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB, 6, 1909.

95%?? Patented Apr. 5,1910.

- in Means for Mounting the accompanying drawingi ADQLPHE CLEMENT, OF LEVALLOIS-PERRET, FRANCE.

MEANS FOR MOUNTING PRQPELLER-SHAF'IS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application filed February 6, 1909. Serial No. 476,516.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anonrrrr. CLEMENT, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Levallois- Perret, Seine, France, have in-. vented certain new and useful Improvements Propeller Shafts, of which the followin 1s a specification.

This invention-has for its objecta means for controlling a screw propeller which enables the tra'ctional or propelling effortwhen stationary or in running to be measured, this cont-rolling nieans'being specially applicable to dirigible balloons. Under the invention the shaft of the screw is mounted in such a'manner thatit is free to move axially; the shaft is then looked to a measur- 111g apparatus by means of adirect connection whereby the tractional or propelling effort exerted upon the screw. may be ascertained. The freedom of the shaft to move axially is insured by'the provision of ball bearings, the outer cage ring ofwhich is plane, that is to say it isnot provided with a groove as is usually the case, and "also by driving means capable of transmitting the motor couple but incapable of exerting an axial movement.

The arran ement of the device under the invention wil be readily understood by the following description and with reference to in which elevation of the Figured is a longitudina the line device, and Fig. 2 is. a section on MM in Fig. 1,

The shaft A of the screw propeller B is hollow and rotates in ball bearings each of which is constituted by an inner cage ring a or provided with a circumferential groove olding the balls 6 and a ring 0 held in a support 0. The outer rings 0 are plane, that is to say the are not formed with the usual groove, so t at the balls are unable to present resistance to movement in the direction parallel with the-axis of the shaft'A. The shaft A is connected to a hollow shaft D in alinement with it, which shaft is mounted between ordinary ball bearings E E and which is driven from the driving shaft 0' p by any suitable means such for example as a pinion F and a gear wheel G. The connection between the two shafts A and D which are in alinement, is established by means of two sleeves H I, the sleeve H being keyed upon the driving shaft; D and tithe sleeve I upon the driven shaft A; these sleeves may be provided with a. variable number of arms d (in Fig. 2 of the drawing it has been assumed that each sleeve-has three arms). 'Between these arms, which are provided with longitudinal grooves a, one or more balls f are interposed; the rotationof the sleeve H is transmitted to the sleeve I- through these balls. Although these balls, Wll1Cl'l are engaged in the longitudinal grooves .e, transmit the motor couple, they are unable to retain the shaft as they rotate upon themselves in the longitudinal direc tion if an axial movement is exerted upon the shaft.

A rod J extends through the driving shaft I) and driven shaft A terminating in the latter in a ball-bearing constituted by two rings 9 k and balls 6, this hearing rests upon a ring is screwed or otherwise secured in the hollow shaft A. The other end of the rod .J is attached to the measuring appliance which may be, for example, a liquid dynamoineter K in communication with a pressure gage M, or a graduated spring or a balance beam with cursor. v

The above-described arrangement is given by way of exampleonly and the manner of carrying out the invention and the construc tional details may be modified according to circumstances and requirements without dc parting from the spirit of the invention.

This device may be fitted to an apparatus for testing screws when stationary.

W hat I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States is 1. In combination a screw propeller for driving a vehicle ashaft for'said propeller and ball bearings for said shaft, one ring of which bearings 18 fiat in cross section, so that the balls present no resistance to axial movement of the shaft and whereby the shaft is free" to move in accordance with the propelling force.

2. In combination a screw propeller for driving a vehicle, a d namometer, a shaft for said propeller, and all bearings for said shaft, one ring of which bearings is flat in cross section so that the ballsdo not present resistance to movement in the direction parallel with the axis of the shaft, said shaft being adapted to act on said dynam'ometer by such axial movement.

3. In combination a screw propeller for ling force, a driving shaft, and claw sleeves on the respective shafts between which are driving a vehicle, a shaft for said propeller mounted to move axially under the propelballs arranged in longitudinal grooves formed on the claws, so as to axial movement of one of the s eeves elatively to the other.

4. In combination a screw pI'Ofnl ,r for driving a vehicle, a dynamometer, a shaft for said propeller mounted to move axially and to act on said dvnamometer by such axial movement, a driving shaft, claw sleeves on the respective shafts between which are halls arranged in. longitudinal grooves termed on the claws, thereby permitting of the free axial movement of one of the sleeves relatively to the other.

5. In combination a screw propeller for driving a vehicle, a shaft for said propeller mounted to move axially under the influence of the propelling force, a driving shaft in alinement with said propeller shaft and driving the same, both said shafts being hollow, a device to which the axial movement ermit free of the propeller shaft is transmitted, and a rod for transmitting such movement connected with said device at one of its ends and engaging the propeller shaft at its other end by means of a ball bearing.

6. ln combination a screw propeller for driving a vehicle a dynamometer, a shaft for said propeller mounted to move axially, a driving shaft in alinement with said pro peller shaft and driving the same, both said shafts being hollow, and a rod connected with the dynamometer at one of its ends and engaging the propeller shaft at its other end by means of a ball hearing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLPHE CLEMENT. lVitnesses J ULES ARMENGAUD Jeune, ELLWOOD AUSTIN iVnnnnn. 

